Mega Skate Park Opens

Other than Asakiyume, I didn’t know any daredevil types who skateboard. But at Thanksgiving, David was telling a young parkour artist at my house about his early years doing skateboarding — before getting into tamer events like double marathons.

Whew. I do appreciate being exposed to worlds I am never likely to explore on my own.

Here is Zeninjor Enwemeka with a WBUR story on the new Lynch Family Skate Park in Cambridge, Mass.

“The $3 million, 40,000-square-foot facility, located in East Cambridge underneath ramps to the Zakim Bridge, is the first skate park of its size in the Boston area.

“Organizers say the skate park is designed for skaters of all skills levels as well as athletes in wheelchairs. It features three bowls reminiscent of empty swimming pools (the largest is 11 and a half feet deep) and a street skating areadesigned to mimic public locations like sidewalks and plazas — complete with stairs, ledges and other common street furniture.

“ ‘Skaters that like street are going to find enough street-type elements to satisfy their wants and needs, and then the same thing goes for the folks that like to ride transition in the bowl area,’ said Doug Russell, the skate park’s project manager. …

“[Renata] von Tscharner, of the Charles River Conservancy, said the skate park will not only be ‘a home for the skaters’ but also an attraction for the city.

“ ‘It’s wonderful to watch skaters,’ von Tscharner said. ‘It’s like watching fire, constantly changing [and] flowing. So, it will be a great destination also for tourists to come here and see what the skaters are up to.’

“In addition to skateboarders, the skate park will accommodate BMX riders, rollerbladers and scooter riders. The park also has viewing areas for spectators, and organizers say the facility will be used to host community events and professional skating competitions. The public outdoor park will be open year-round. Organizers say skaters will likely still get use out of the skate park even in the winter months since a large portion of the park is covered by the highway.”